Mindful travelers and Mindful vacationers can recycle, reduce and reuse on land, but what about the ocean, the cenotes, the lagoons of the Riviera Maya? With over 73% of the planet housing bodies of water, having some back pocket ideas on how to treat the oceans mindfully is a great way to travel lightly while on vacation in the Riviera Maya.

We think of the Caribbean as our backyard, the place where we play, dine, hang out with friends and build many of our memories. Our impact can be seen more in the water than on land sometimes but we have little information (or pressure) to protect this ecosystem. Hmmm so what can we do? Listen up and find ways to travel a little lighter when hanging out in the water or by the water!

Biodegradable sunscreen is the number one way to protect water in the Riviera Maya

Sunscreen is a must when under the Caribbean skies, and in no way do we support going without sunscreen. What we do support is a biodegradable sunscreen that will not leave residue in the water. This recommendation is for the ocean, cenotes and lagoons when traveling through the diverse water systems in the area.

A great hat, a great cover up and a rash guard can also help to accomplish the same effect. Though none of us want to cover up, adding a hat or a cover up can have you outdoors for longer, or in the ocean snorkeling for longer!

Don’t touch rule in the ocean and cenotes

As much as we love the sensory experience of touching something, the ocean is not a fan of hands and feet. Once you embrace the don’t touch rule there are a few other rules to follow when hanging out with your fins or feet. Kicking up sand by coral reefs can suffocate the coral. Yup, it is true. If you kick up a lot of sand when snorkeling or diving, or just hanging around, the sand particles can choke the filtration systems of the coral. If you are snorkeling and find you are needed a little extra help to stay afloat, use a life jacket. If you are a diver, practice good buoyancy so you are not leaving a trail of sand in your path.

When hanging out with the famous turtles of the Rivera Maya, as tempting as it is, touching is not allowed. Even if you think no one can see you, this simple act of touching can remove important particles on the outside of a turtle shell. If you are tempted to look at a conch, and turn it over to see what is inside, this disrupts their ability to crawl the ocean floor. There are more of these ocean secrets that can be put under the heading, don’t touch.

If you find yourself in a cenote, the formations that the Riviera Maya is so famous for, fall under the don’t touch rule. They are not living objects but they are delicate. The formations are delicate and part of the vast system that runs over 700 kms through the Riviera Maya cave and cavern system. If you touch, if they break, they will not reform….which means anyone who comes to view the cenotes after you will miss the beauty that you have just seen.

Garbage belongs in garbage cans

Garbage is anything that is not organic. If you find yourself on the beach, in the ocean or anywhere near by, bring a garbage bag with you and take out what you brought in. If you see some garbage on the beach, pick it up and take it with you so that it can be recycled or disposed of in the proper facilities. Local businesses and individuals regularly host beach clean ups up and down the coast to remove the debris that washes up on the shore. If we all do our part, the beach will remain one of the most beautiful in the world! If you are staying on the beach at one of our wonderful beachfront villas, it is important to review our outside areas to ensure that the wind does not take your garbage away to the beach! It happens but only if you let it!

Learn to dive or snorkel so you can observe what lives in 73% of the planet

If you are not sure how your land activities can impact the ocean, take a Discover Scuba Course or learn to snorkel so you can witness first hand the ecosystem that lives in all of the water systems, ocean, cenotes and lagoons. Once you get a view of the delicate life that lives in the ocean, these suggestions may ring truer than if you did not take a peek. There is a whole other world out there, but if you don’t see it for yourself, it is hard to image what can live under water. The entire world is our backyard now, ocean and bodies of water included.

Visit a water based location in the Riviera Maya

If the ocean is not your thing, visit a lagoon or cenote. There is no where else in the world where you can access such incredible ecosystems like the cenotes or the lagoons like we have in the Riviera Maya. To make your footprint even more sustainable, have a local guide share their secrets, understandings, and stories about the local water location you are visiting. The history of each individual water destination is fascinating and will give you a greater appreciation of how water interacts and is the source of life in the Riviera Maya. The beaches made this location famous, but the other water locations make it magical! There is more to a cenote than meets the eye so put on a mask and snorkel and be amazed!

Traveling by water is a great way to enhance your vacation or travels in the Riviera Maya by paddle board, by kiteboard, by kayak, snorkeling or scuba diving. We are fortunate to have a calm ocean that is clear as day, be located on the second largest barrier reef in the world and have people to support the exploration of the ocean in safe and fun ways. Just leave a lighter footprint, and investigate the waters of the Riviera Maya either from your beachfront terrace, a swim in the ocean or a dip in a cenote. Leave it as you found it so that others can experience the same thrill that you just had.

Check out some of the beaches and cenotes located throughout the Riviera Maya.

Related Posts

For 20 years we have been mindful travelers in the Rivera Maya. Our passion has been to share our unique experiences with others out of love for the Riviera Maya, Costa Maya and the Yucatan. It seems that more and more people are looking for experiences such as these to enrich not only their vacation…

The Riviera Maya is a stepping stone to learning more about Mexico. The beaches are beautiful, the people attentive and friendly. Your Riviera Maya vacation, like our first Riviera Maya vacation, is a path and window into a land of adventure, a land of new experiences and a land of endless things to do. There…

Hacienda Tres Rios began as an ecological park and then became an all inclusive hotel with sustainability as their goal. The hotel employs a staff trained and certified in sustainable tourism practices, referred to as their "Green Team," and the hotel uses state-of-the-art technology to reduce the resort's environmental impact. This is one resort that walks their…

What the heck is an eco-packer? And what does this have to do with my vacation in the Riviera Maya? Well, here's the scoop. Very few people know that the coast of the Riviera Maya and Costa Maya are extremely diverse and sensitive environments. The ocean, jungle and fresh water cenotes require a delicate balance…

It is all of our job to protect the sea and cenotes while living in or visiting the Riviera Maya. The Riviera Maya has a very delicate water system that affects the ecosystem. It is all connected! There are some basic measures you can take to protect the waters and life of the sea and…

Let Us Know What You Think

Search Rentals

Bedrooms

Price Range

Popular Posts

Other Posts

Testimonials

"We spent a lot of our time sitting on the second floor porch with our feet propped on the railing just staring at the water. Coming home was hard this year..Staying for two weeks still wasn't long enough."

--Susan, USA

"It is like having a friend make your reservations for you .... we always feel comfortable knowing LG will be in charge of our arrangements because they know the area first hand, they live there ..... you ask a question and they answer it with good humor and great knowledge of what they speak. I will always recommend Loco Gringo in a heart beat!"

--Nancy, Michigan

"and for the past five years we have used Loco Gringo for every reservation, I'm sorry that we did not find them sooner.
I have been searching Loco Gringo for all these years and one thing I have not yet found ........... someone who is not fabulous to work with. Great people, great owners and a great way to run a business."

--K & DB, Outer Banks, NC,

"I just wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU! The trip we booked through Loco Gringo was perfect! The price was exceptionally good and the service was second to none! If you’ve never booked with Loco Gringo before, we *highly* recommend them!"

--Derek S.,

"I would recommend Locogringo to everyone I know. It is such a great service that they provide from researching and booking the perfect place to stay to finding all the needs you could possibly want during your stay. Thanks Locogringo."

"Loco Gringo has an AWESOME website with great info, it is lots of fun to visit, be sure to join their forums. The forums hold more information and trip reports than you can 'shake a stick at'!"

--Anonymous,

"A company made up mostly of American Expats living in the Riviera Maya with a booking list of many hundreds of properties. Big enough to know each property intimately and small enough to know each customer personally. A level of service simply impossible for the giant companies to provide.
"

--Jim T., Colorado

"When we use LG to book a trip we get immediate help with all of our questions in a very timely way by people who know what they are talking about and are extremely helpful, patient, knowledgeable, and congenial. They really get how to do customer service.
Once we book through LG we never have to worry about any of it again. We are always amazed at how smooth and trouble free our bookings through LG have been."

--K.B., Fort Worth, TX

"Both in 2011 and this year we have booked our room through Locogringo.com. We searched and found a great rate at the resort we wanted, and then Locogringo met that price, and with their booking came their amazing customer service and the peace of mind that if we need anything while we are there we simply need to call. I always get a fast turnaround on any email I send them, and they work so hard to find us the best rates and the rooms we want. We hope to have a long relationship with them, and recommend their site to everyone we know."

--Tim A and Teri A, Salem, UT

"You always recommend amazing accommodations and we are always comfortable and feel safe. Your staff does a fantastic job at making our vacation each year a ” hassle free ” experience ! All we have to do is ” show up ” and the rest is already taken care of. We will continue in future to use LocoGringo and also continue as we have done already, to highly recommend your company to anyone we know that is planning a vacation."

--Nancy & Bill, Toronto, Canada

"I had contacted you before I left for my first trip to Mexico and all of your recommendations were spot on. I started in Playa Del Carmen and worked my way to Tulum. I had only expected to stay 2 nights there and instead wound up staying for a week-and that still was not nearly enough time. Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks! I will be checking in with you guys as I am tring to plan a trip to Holbox next. That place looks amazing!"

--Louis Skip Gonzalez, Unidos Magazine

"People who “live the area” will want to make sure you enjoy your vacation and come back again!"

--Jessi,

"And their amazing website is one of the main reasons we started going regularly to the Riviera Maya and especially Akumal. No other place around the Caribbean has nearly as good a web presence as LG has given this area."

--Dan, St. Louis MO,

"We usually need reservations for 2 to 4 people but for 2 years we needed reservations for 7 to 9 people, adults and kids and they have always done a flawless job in getting the resort we wanted and at the best price too!!"

--Anonymous,

"Now is a great time to tell you how wonderful you and your staff are at making it so easy to find and book the best vacations, THANK YOU !"

--Joyce & Hugh,

"Not sure if we will be returning next summer, but will definitely let you know if we are, as Loco Gringo is the ONLY way to go for us!"

--Lesley P., Texas

"I have booked most of my Mayan Riviera trips through Loco Gringo and can only say I wouldn't even consider using anyone else to handle my bookings for stays in that area.
Their booking process is simple, fast and friendly, and they will answer your questions and queries until you are completely satisfied that every single detail has been taken care of.
Who else would know the area better than folks who live and work right there? Try to get that level of expertise and knowledge with a booking agent who lives and works several hundred, or even thousands of miles away.
Not only that, but they are genuinely nice people as well, who really care for their customers and the community and area that they call home
Keep up the great work Loco Gringo!!"

--George, Calgary

"Thanks for everything you have done with Locogringo… the site is great and your staff has been nothing short of incredible when it comes to helping us plan our trips. Maybe we’ll run into you on one of your walks some day."

--Darren,

"So here is a GREAT BIG TEXAS THANK YOU TO LOCO GRINGO for all the awesome, fantastic vacations in Paradise."

--Anonymous,

"LocoGringo.com books total trip packages and I recommend LG to all my friends and even to strangers I hear talking about going to Mexico!!"

--Anonymous,

""I was soooo delighted with the Loco Gringo services. Everything was trouble free and all my questions were always answered promptly. Thanks for a GREAT trouble free vacation!""

--Anonymous,

"I will be bragging about your site to any and all who will listen. Our experience was phenomenal!!!"

--M. Palaschak,

"What an amazing company Locogringo is. Every silly question I have.... they answer , If something comes up like a travel day change, adding more people, or whatever it might be... you get a response from a real person ... who seems to love what they do . That is hard to find these days and I really appreciate that."

--Brenda, Oregon

"Loco Gringos is the VERY BEST booking site I have ever worked with. They respond to emails promptly, work hard to honor special requests, answer questions etc. They ALWAYS take great care of their customers and are conscientious and professional at all times. We have booked 8 trips with this company and NEVER hesitate to use them or recommend them when traveling to the Riviera Maya."

--Anonymous,

"All our Riviera Maya trips have been booked using LocoGringo. We love their service."

--Debbie, California

"She & her new Husband had a fantastic hassle free trip. This was their very first time to Mexico and her comment upon return was " Dad, 7 days is NOT enough time ! " Super job, LG."

--Bernie in Denver,

"We have been Booking our Riviera Maya vacations from Loco Gringo since 2005. Always Great communication, helpful tips and quick responses to our questions. They were especially helpful when Hurricane Wilma hit and put a stop to our Vacation plans. They made sure we knew about the weather situation and did all the work with re-booking our vacation in Paradise!"

--Anonymous,

Like Us.

Get Your Vacation Vibe™ On

Get the inside scoop, hot tips, little known secrets and DEALS for the Riviera Maya, Costa Maya & Yucatan

Tell us where to send your good Vacation Vibe:

Yes! I LOVE inside secrets! Send them to me!

Your Inquiry

Jumpstart your next amazing vacation

Tell Us About Your Vacation

* Denotes A Required Field

**

I must have these exact dates.*

Tell Us About You

*****

Get everything you want in your vacation.

Describe your vision for your Riviera Maya vacation.

Check all that apply:

Swim with the turtlesPampered at the spaLocal cuisineZiplines & adventure toursNightlife and dancingRomantic beach dinnersLocal Shopping